Myanmar’s junta wants China’s support. Analysts expect ‘cautious pragmatism’ from Beijing
- Military government’s deputy prime minister calls for continued help to ‘achieve domestic peace and stability’ in talks with top Chinese diplomat
- Beijing is seen as willing to support regional stability but it’s not expected to intervene in Myanmar’s situation beyond tackling telecoms scams
The call came on Wednesday, when China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Than Swe in Beijing ahead of a regional summit.
“Myanmar still faces many domestic challenges and hopes to continue to receive support and help from China to achieve domestic peace and stability,” Than Swe told Wang, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
Wang said China would not interfere in Myanmar’s internal affairs, but hoped the country could “achieve national reconciliation” and “continue its political transformation process under the constitutional framework as soon as possible”.
Multiple armed groups launched a coordinated offensive in late October across Myanmar’s northern provincial administrations of Shan State, Kachin State and the upper Sagaing Region.
China’s southwestern province of Yunnan shares a 2,000km (1,250-mile) border with Myanmar’s Shan and Kachin states.
Analysts said that while Beijing was willing to support regional stability, it would not intervene in Myanmar’s situation beyond the need to tackle telecoms scams that have targeted Chinese nationals.